By Kirstin Ingram, Second year student, MPhil Textile Conservation Dyeing support fabrics can sometimes feel like witchcraft even with synthetic dyes: you mix potions together, stir at a boiling pot, and turn a piece of undyed fabric into any colour of the rainbow. However, sometimes this magic can involve a lot of trial and error… Continue reading
by Beth Gillions, 2nd year student, MPhil Textile Conservation My first encounter with dyeing came at a young age when my family started participating in historical re-enactments at a beautiful Tudor Manor House in Suffolk. Nestled in the grounds of Kentwell Hall’s barn sward sits the woolshed where first I learned to turn sheep’s fleece to yarn, and the ‘Dyers’ where I first… Continue reading
by Charlotte Lolita Cameron and Chuance Chen, first year students, MPhil Textile Conservation. Textile conservators are often required to dye materials such as fabrics and threads for stitch or adhesive supports. Due to the high standards required, dyeing our own materials is preferred, ensuring the end result is light and wash fast and exactly the… Continue reading
